Cuts to City-wide HIV Programs in SF City Budget Partially Averted
Contact: Media@sfaf.org
SAN FRANCISCO, June 26, 2026–San Francisco AIDS Foundation thanks Mayor Lurie, the Board of Supervisors, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health for reducing the impact of cuts to HIV and LGBTQ+ services in the FY 27-28 San Francisco budget.
Advocacy from SFAF, HIV Advocacy Network (HAN), the HIV/AIDS Provider Network (HAPN), the People’s Budget Coalition, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club HIV Caucus, Indivisible SF, and thousands of aligned community members and activists made it clear that cutting social safety net services would be detrimental to our communities and to San Francisco.
Negotiations with the Mayor’s office and the San Francisco Department of Public Health, and through the Board of Supervisors add-back process resulted in partial restoration of funding for SFAF’s clinical assistant program, HIV test counseling at AHP, clinical services including HIV and STI care at SFAF’s Strut location, mobile health services and overdose prevention for sex workers through Lyon Martin, and HIV and STI clinical services through Lyon Martin.
We are glad to report that planned cuts to the HIV prevention Health Access Points (HAPs) will be restored, with $650k for HAPs restored in the city budget during the Board of Supervisors add-back process.
In addition, we are pleased to share that advocacy by SFAF, the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, and many older adults living with HIV resulted in the Department of Disability and Aging Services investing $150,000 of new funding in HIV-and-aging services. This first-of-its-kind investment will help improve access to aging services for the growing number of HIV long-term survivors in San Francisco.
“We whole-heartedly thank our elected officials for their work to restore proposed cuts to HIV, LGBTQ+, and harm reduction programs in the city budget. As a leader in the HIV response, and as a city that prides itself on being built by and for LGBTQ+ people, we recognize the importance of continuing to fund the models of care and prevention that have taken decades to establish and build,” said Tyler TerMeer, PhD, CEO of SFAF.
“We are so thankful to our community of advocates, activists, and other supporters–so many of you who joined us to advocate for the restoration of funds to HIV, LGBTQ+, and harm reduction services,” said Laura Thomas, MPH, MPP, Senior Director of HIV & Harm Reduction Policy. “Although there will still be cuts made city-wide, we appreciate the process which has enabled our communities to make their voices and priorities heard.”
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